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RICHMOND, Va. (April 12, 2011) — Part of an esteemed group of honorees, Bon Secours Richmond Health System has been named to Working Mother’s second annual list of Best Companies for Hourly Workers. This was the first year the health system applied to this award program.

“This honor is incredibly meaningful and speaks so closely to our mission,” said Peter J. Bernard, CEO, Bon Secours Virginia Health System. “The majority of our employees are hourly workers. They are at the heart of what drives our health system and what makes our exceptional, compassionate care possible. We strive to live up to the value that they deserve, and we are honored to see that our efforts are creating a meaningful work culture.”

The only initiative of its kind, Best Companies for Hourly Workers celebrates businesses working steadfastly to provide family-friendly benefits that promote health/wellness, education, flexibility and work-life balance. Best Companies for Hourly Workers honorees must have a minimum of 50 percent hourly workers in order to submit their data for this distinction. Bon Secours Richmond employs about 7,000 workers.

“Bon Secours’ stalwart commitment to employee growth has earned them a coveted spot on this year’s Best Companies for Hourly Workers list,” said Jennifer Owens, director of the Working Mother Research Institute. “By encouraging high-potential employees to apply for on-site nursing and medical career-training programs, this Richmond-based health care system pushes hourly workers to envision — and firmly grasp — the next rung on the corporate ladder.”

With nearly half the U.S. workforce — 73 million Americans — punching in and out as hourly employees every day, companies like Bon Secours Richmond are finding a competitive edge when they support hourly workers. Bon Secours Richmond and 100 percent of this year’s Best Companies for Hourly Workers winners offer benefits such as health care coverage, tuition reimbursement to workers pursuing degrees and paid job skills training during working hours.

“A guiding principle of our health system is to liberate the potential of our employees,” Bernard said. “We do this through a vast array of developmental opportunities and work-life benefits, which support everyone but are particularly beneficial for our working families, single parents and minimum-wage earners.”

In 2010, Bon Secours Richmond raised its minimum wage, increased its tuition reimbursement rates and continued offering programs including flexible work schedules, emergency funds for employees in crisis, eldercare support and subsidies for child care.

“For the second year, Working Mother’s Best Companies for Hourly Workers honors corporations who develop talent and support a historically marginalized portion of the U.S. workforce,” said Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media. “Promoting employees from hourly workers to management to executive is a hallmark of these winning companies. In an era of economic stress and budget cuts, these companies are proactively working to ensure the future productivity of U.S. businesses and to bolster the economy as a whole.”

Methodology
The 2011 Working Mother Best Companies for Hourly Workers application was created in partnership with Corporate Voices for Working Families, a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit membership organization. It includes some 450 questions on workforce; company culture; benefits; training, development and advancement programs; flexibility policies; paid time off and more. It surveys the availability and usage of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. All applicants receive feedback showing how they compare to other applicants; however, the names of applicants that do not make the list are kept confidential.

About Bon Secours Richmond Health System
Bon Secours Richmond is part of Bon Secours Virginia (BSV), the fourth largest and only faith-based health system in Virginia, which is comprised of Bon Secours Richmond and Bon Secours Hampton Roads. Bon Secours Virginia includes seven award-winning hospitals: four in Richmond (St. Mary’s Hospital, Memorial Regional Medical Center, Richmond Community Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center) and three in Hampton Roads. Bon Secours brings together a network of hospitals, primary care practices, ambulatory care sites and continuing care facilities to provide quality health care services to thousands of Virginians. The not-for-profit Catholic health system employs more than 11,000 people, 7,200 in Richmond and 4,000 in Hampton Roads. Bon Secours Virginia hospitals offer a full-range of services including cardiac, women’s, children’s, orthopedics, oncology, neurosciences and surgery.

About Working Mother Media
Working Mother magazine reaches 2.2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. WorkingMother.com brings to the Web home and career information, advice and a broad range of solutions daily. 2010 marks 25 years of Working Mother’s signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, the most important benchmark for work-life practices in corporate America. Working Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corp., includes the National Association for Female Executives, Diversity Best Practices, and the Working Mother Research Institute. Working Mother Media’s mission is to serve as a champion of culture change.